UNDP Commends Rwanda Media Commission for promoting media ethics

Jan 15, 2016

RMC Team and development partners in a group photo

Friday, 15 January 2016, The United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] Rwanda Country Director Mr. Stephen Rodriques commended the Rwanda Media Commission for the enormous work done by its small committed team in tackling media ethical issues in Rwanda.

“We [UNDP] acknowledge the amount of work done by the small team of RMC in tackling ethical issues in the media and in promoting media freedom in Rwanda,” he said during the visit at RMC offices. Mr. Rodriques reassured the RMC team that the partnership between UNDP and RMC will continue and even grow stronger as Rwanda enters the next electoral cycle, in which the media’s role will be of utmost importance.

He later shared his commendation of RMC with his Twitter followers with the following tweet: “Great meeting committed RMC team. Salute your efforts on Press Freedom and ethics in Journalism.”

In his speech, Mr. Cleophas BARORE, the acting Chairman of RMC recognized the role of UNDP in providing vital support for the media sector in Rwanda especially self-regulation and enabling the development drive that is being carried out through leading initiatives undertaken since the self-regulatory body was established in August, 2013.

Mr. Emmanuel MUGISHA, the RMC Executive Secretary explained the key programs carried out by the body, namely; the promotion of ethical practices in the media, ensuring journalists accountability and rights through complaints handling, and promotion of media literacy.

He emphasized that production and dissemination of literacy materials in digital media formats to the public and media clubs in secondary schools, effective online complaints handling, database and publication: case rulings, annual reports, and newsletter, are key elements in promoting media literacy and the media self-regulatory system in general.

To date, RMC has received 118 complaints, of which 105 have been full handled while 13 are still pending. Regarding journalists accreditation, 552 journalists have been accredited out of the approximately 800 operating in Rwanda.